All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) on Monday expelled sixteen of its party functionaries who interacted with VK Sasikala. This comes after the Legislature Party meeting had passed a resolution calling for actions against those who spoke to Sasikala, close-aide of late chief minister J Jayalalithaa.

The party also expelled party spokesperson V Pugazhendi, stating the the leader was against the party. AIADMK, in its statement today, termed Sasikala's telephonic conversations with its cadre as "drama" and stated: "The party will never destroy itself for the desires of one family."

On Saturday, AIADMK leader C Ponnaiyan had claimed that Sasikala is not a member of his party as she belongs to TTV Dhinakaran's Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK). "Sasikala is not a member of our party. She belongs to TTV Dhinakaran's group. She has no locus standi to say that she is going to revive AIADMK. Whoever is talking to Sasikala, they do not belong to AIADMK," Ponnaiyan had said.

Earlier, on May 30, Sasikala had dropped enough hints of returning to active politics after the COVID-19 pandemic. In an audio clip of a phone conversation between Sasikala and one of the party cadres, which has gone viral on social media, the leader was heard confirming her plans of her return into politics. This followed after AIADMK lost the power in Tamil Nadu elections to DMK.The phone call has been verified by Janarthanan, the personal assistant for AMMK General Secretary TTV Dinakaran.